CWR’s Achievements

Accomplishments of CWR include:

Photo by M. Jenner

•Discovery and mapping of Kimberley Calving Grounds for humpback whales, now a marine park off the Northwest coast of Australia.

•Discovery and mapping of Perth Canyon feeding ground for pygmy blue whales off the coast of Southwest Australia—now being discussed by Australian government as a candidate for a protected marine park.
•Discovery and mapping of Exmouth humpback whale calf nursery on the central Western Australian coast.
•First photo-documented birth of a humpback whale worldwide (article goes viral).
•Co-discovery of humpback whale songs from Western Australia being sung by whales in Eastern Australia, suggesting that humpback whales change Antarctic feeding grounds when food supplies demand it (perhaps similar to blue whales).
•Co-development of the first successful Australian built satellite tag system for large whales. This system will be used in the blue whale population census to satellite tag blue whales for the first time ever.
•Largest pygmy blue whale catalogue in Australia and one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Photographing individual whales each season and indifferent locations help scientists build an understanding of longevity, birthing intervals, population size and population interchange.
•Featured documentary on “Australian Story,” a program that highlights icons in the community that the public fully supports.
•Awarded the Lowell Thomas Award 2010 for contributons to Exploratory Research by the Explorers Club, New York
•Guided government and industry on policy and practical whale issues (ie. seismic approach limits, whale watching guidelines, standing event management, Australian study priorities) for over 20 years.